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News Release

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending April 11, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 610,000, a decrease of 53,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 663,000. The 4-week moving average was 651,000, a decrease of 8,500 from the previous week's revised average of 659,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.5 percent for the week ending April 4, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 4.4 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending April 4 was 6,022,000, an increase of 172,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 5,850,000. The 4-week moving average was 5,796,000, an increase of 146,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 5,650,000.

The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 4.781 million.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 607,971 in the week ending April 11, a decrease of 18,892 from the previous week. There were 370,949 initial claims in the comparable week in 2008.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.7 percent during the week ending April 4, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 6,305,445, a decrease of 146,611 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.3 percent and the volume was 3,088,902.

Extended benefits were available in Alaska, California, Connecticut, Idaho, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin during the week ending March 28.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,074 in the week ending April 4, a decrease of 4 from the prior week. There were 1,707 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 124 from the preceding week.

There were 18,597 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending March 28, an increase of 516 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 28,752, an increase of 304 from the prior week.

States reported 2,148,241 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending March 28, a decrease of 103,543 from the prior week. EUC weekly claims include both first and second tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending March 28 were in Michigan (8.0 percent), Oregon (7.9), Rhode Island (7.1), Idaho (7.0), Wisconsin (7.0), Pennsylvania (6.7), Nevada (6.2), Alaska (6.0), Montana (6.0), and Vermont (5.9).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending April 4 were in Michigan (+5,408), Missouri (+4,986), Texas (+3,734), New Jersey (+2,368), and Pennsylvania (+2,194), while the largest decreases were in California (-4,708), Ohio (-2,716), Alabama (-2,421), Florida (-1,539), and Wisconsin (-1,078).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

April 11

April 4

Change

March 28

Year

Initial Claims (SA)

610,000

663,000

-53,000

674,000

369,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

607,971

626,863

-18,892

599,299

370,949

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

651,000

659,500

-8,500

658,000

370,750

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

April 4

March 28

Change

March 21

Year

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

6,022,000

5,850,000

+172,000

5,745,000

2,976,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

6,305,445

6,452,056

-146,611

6,388,761

3,088,902

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

5,796,000

5,650,000

+146,000

5,500,750

2,915,000

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

4.5%

4.4%

+0.1

4.3%

2.2%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

4.7%

4.8%

-0.1

4.8%

2.3%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

April 4

March 28

Change

Year

Federal Employees

1,074

1,078

-4

925

Newly Discharged Veterans

1,707

1,831

-124

1,395

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

March 28

March 21

Change

Year

Federal Employees

18,597

18,081

+516

14,444

Newly Discharged Veterans

28,752

28,448

+304

21,707

Railroad Retirement Board

9,000

9,000

0

3,000

Extended Benefits

14,583

10,016

+4,567

0

EUC 20083

2,148,241

2,251,784

-103,543

0

FOOTNOTES SA - Seasonally Adjusted Data NSA - Not Seasonally Adjusted Data 1 - Prior year is comparable to most recent data. 2 - Most recent week used covered employment of 133,683,433 as denominator. 3 - EUC weekly claims include both first and second tier activity.

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 04/04/2009

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

CA

-4,708

Decrease due to a shorter workweek (March 31, 2009 is recognized as a state holiday), as well as fewer layoffs in the trade and manufacturing industries.

OH

-2,716

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

AL

-2,421

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

FL

-1,539

Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.

WI

-1,078

Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and manufacturing industries.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

MN

+1,600

No comment.

TN

+1,621

Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

WA

+1,699

Layoffs in the trade and manufacturing industries.

CO

+1,729

No comment.

AZ

+1,779

No comment.

IL

+1,846

Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.

LA

+2,026

Layoffs in the automobile industry.

AR

+2,095

Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

GA

+2,157

Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

NC

+2,168

Layoffs in the textile, transportation equipment, electrical equipment, and electronic equipment industries.

PA

+2,194

Layoffs in the construction, service, and transportation industries.

NJ

+2,368

Layoffs in the construction, trade, service , and manufacturing industries.

TX

+3,734

Layoffs in the finance, information, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.

MO

+4,986

Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

MI

+5,408

Layoffs in the automobile industry.

State Detail Prior WeekUI Claims Series 1967 to current

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Agency
Employment and Training Administration
Date
April 16, 2009